Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has broadband subscribers base doubled to increase 100 percent and network coverage areas expanded to five times in past 16 months.

The PTCL enjoys the unique status in Pakistan for providing Broadband services in over 1000 cities across the country to over 600,000 customers, according to a press release. The biggest broadband company has attained the overwhelming position in the market in the span of four years of successful DSL service operations across the country.

Since its Broadband launch in May 2007, PTCL has made the broadband technology affordable by offering low-cost packages and by geographically bringing the service within the reach of a common user of Pakistan.

PTCL has been instrumental in making the service available to general public across the country, through hugely investing in expansion and extension of its Broadband services. Before PTCL launched its Broadband services it was only restricted to three major cities of the country.

PTCL’s Broadband facilitates the segment that relies heavily on high speed connectivity i.e. the students.

Special packages for this segment along with services such as free dial up service for its Broadband customers and free access to movies, music, classical Pakistani dramas and cricket matches, educational and religious content for its Broadband customers-branded under ‘PTCL BUZZ’, a complete web infotainment content portal is available exclusive only to PTCL Broadband subscribers.

PTCL offers a free personalised e-mail account exclusively to its Broadband users. PTCL is also providing a host of data services including Smart TV and Quad play connection with I Sentry surveillance camera and a range of Broadband data rates starting from 256 kbps and up to 50 mbps speeds suited to the needs of its wide strata of customers.

PTCL’s SEVP commercial Naveed Saeed said PTCL has always been the first to introduce and provide the benefits of latest technologies to the customers.

“We have many innovative products and for our valued customers which we intend to introduce periodically in the near future.

PTCL’s EVP Wireline Business Aasif Inam said PTCL being a customer centric organisation has always strived to address the needs of its valued customers with the intention and aim to provide affordable high speed internet connectivity to each and every individual of the country.

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PTCL has signed an agreement with Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, which will enable Bahauddin Zakariya University students, staff, faculty and university administration to avail PTCL’s EVO services at discounted prices.

According to the agreement, Bahauddin Zakariya University students / officials can get EVO devices at 50 percent discount rate, i.e. Rs. 2,000 instead of regular Rs. 4,000 first up charges.

Similarly, monthly EVO charges will be deducted at Rs. 1,250 instead of regular Rs. 2,000 charges per month.

PTCL EVO has signed similar agreement with various other organizations, including universities, medical colleges and government institutions.

Students of other national universities can also push their administration to sign similar agreement with PTCL, so that such discounts are made available for them as well.

Via PTCL Workers

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PTCL is working on a project, after which, it will be able offer broadband internet of 50 Mpbs, said a statement issued by the company.

An industry first, Pakistan’s PTCL will be using VDSL2 Bonding technology to provide existing digital subscriber line (DSL) customers with speeds up to 50 Mbps.

The project leverages Alcatel-Lucent’s VDSL2 Bonding expertise and should be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2011.

VDSL2 Bonding takes two copper-based VDSL2 lines per subscriber and aggregates them – almost doubling the bandwidths available to existing customers, or expanding high-speed broadband access to areas that are underserved today. Using VDSL2 Bonding, service providers can extend the life of their existing copper infrastructure – supporting the delivery of bandwidth-intensive services such as triple-play voice, data and IPTV.

According to a recent study from market research firm IHS iSuppli, simultaneous access to applications such as peer-to-peer file sharing, online gaming, streaming audio, VoIP and IPTV will soon require bandwidths between 50 and 100Mbps. This fits exactly with VDSL2’s capabilities, especially when combined with innovations such as Bonding and Vectoring.

Commenting on this achievement President and CEO PTCL Walid Irshaid has stated

“PTCL is the first service provider worldwide to deploy a commercial VDSL2 Bonding solution that aims at doubling the bandwidths provided to its existing customers. We are thus setting the trend in international telecoms, and are taking the broadband experience in Pakistan to the next level.

Alcatel-Lucent’s VDSL2 Bonding technology and comprehensive services and network integration expertise is helping us to keep pace with the increasing bandwidth requirements of our customers, while capitalizing on the existing copper infrastructure. This will enable us to quickly deliver high-quality, high-speed and high-availability business and residential services – even in areas where it was not possible before.”

Alcatel-Lucent is providing PTCL with its Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) IP access platform – which is the first platform to commercially support VDSL2 Bonding. Alcatel-Lucent will also supply Bonding-ready customer premises equipment (CPE). Alcatel-Lucent serves as the project’s master network integrator, and is providing a range of professional services – including project management, installation and commissioning, integration and technical support.

“We understand that service providers need the right tools to bridge the gap until fiber deployments have become ubiquitous. VDSL2 Bonding is an ideal approach: service providers like PTCL can almost double the speeds supported by their DSL infrastructure or expand their network’s reach. This makes it a fast and cost-effective approach to bridging the digital divide,” said Aadil Rauf CEO Alcatel-Lucent Pakistan Ltd.

“This commercial VDSL2 Bonding project with PTCL marks the beginning of VDSL2 Bonding deployments outside of the US – where the technology is typically used to expand the reach of the copper network.”

Alcatel-Lucent is the driving force behind the world’s most advanced VDSL2 roll-outs, with customers such as Belgacom, STC, Swisscom and Telekom Austria. Our VDSL2 solution has also been deployed by competitive operators, including M-net (Germany) and South Yorkshire Digital Region (UK).

wi-tribe has introduced enterprise packages with higher data limits during business hours (9 AM to 60 PM). These enterprise packages are aimed at business and high end users with rich data upload/download need.

You can choose between two packages of 1.5 Mbps and 1 Mpbs speed with 100 GB and 50 GB data limits respectively.

Introduction of enterprise packages from wi-tribe shows that the company realizes the high bandwidth needs of the consumer/businesses. wi-tribe already offers endless package (30 GB Limit) for the consumers.

Tariff:

How to get wi-tribe connection:

Visit your nearest wi-tribe outlet or call 111-187-423

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Ever since the WiMAX industry saw its first commercial roll-out courtesy of Wateen, which was arguably the biggest commercial WiMAX network in the world, it has not enjoyed the glory the investors may had anticipated. Situation is not different for other WiMAX operators too, though they are making some money but balance sheets are not that catchy.

Reason is: We, as Pakistanis, are not used to pay for data services – probably because paying for data services is a secondary stage that comes after the primary understanding of what data services actually are.

When Mobilink launched its WiMAX services under the marquee ‘Mobilink Infinity’, it was termed as the 10^th best launch by the WiMAX Forum. Quite an achievement, right? To me, on the other hand, it appeared like a cart about to sail down a steep unobstructed path straight into the slums because:

• Common users did not have a hint of what WiMAX is; they did not care and they should not have cared too!
• To a good educated majority it seemed to be as just another internet connection able enough to take them to their Yahoo inboxes
• Our marketing was as un-educating as anything you might think of

This argument is valid for Qubee too. Along with WiMAX providers other broadband operators kept venturing in, for instance PTCL released its EVO connections, and the market grew tougher. It became gruesome for the operators to strive for their share of customers and survive the brutality.

Mobilink perhaps did not try getting serious with the situation; it did not look ready to give Infinity a refresher. Things worsen so much that the sales and operations staff had to rely on door-to-door sales services to register few bits on the work sheets.

Those working in Infinity’s teams are worried for their future; for the future of WiMAX; for the return of time and energy they have put in thus far. We have heard that WiMAX arm of Mobilink is certainly not doing well financially, and it is evident from its long awaited spread out in Lahore and Islamabad – which is yet to happen. The parents (Orascom) are a little offhanded about their child and are reluctant to float in some cash for obvious reasons.

Industry, as a whole, has started to show some sort of a shape:

• Wi-tribe rising above all as the most rigorous – if not efficient – service provider in terms of its customer support and problem resolution services. Though limited data packages remain their biggest constraint when compared to Wateen.
• PTCL cashing its status of a blind king and utilized its deployed network, established lines and age old customers to grasp a decent figure of subscribers
• Abundance of managerial issues, financial mishaps and having more than one core product, Wateen never managed to shine the way it could have
• Qubee trying to expand
• Mobilink Infinity…waiting for the right time

Broadband industry is perhaps waiting for that alleged data boom in the country and all shareholders are saving their money for that time.

One may argue that regulatory bodies as well as service operators should have been more pragmatic on their marketing, educational and sales fronts rather than deducing their bits of satisfaction by registering the country as the first good-for-nothing WiMAX hub.

We were just wondering what Google was doing with that super-fast gigabit network it promised to set up in one lucky city and here’s finally a fresh development. The winner has been chosen and it’s Kansas City, Kansas. Having the winning community in its own state will be quite the bitter pill for the people of Topeka to swallow, as they actually renamed their town to Google, Kansas, just to try and appease the Mountain View overlords. Hey, we’re sure Google knows best! An agreement has now been signed to roll out the fiber goodness in Kansas City, which should result in gigabit service becoming available to locals in 2012. A press event is scheduled for 1PM ET, which will be livestreamed at the YouTube link below, and you can check out the announcement video after the break while you wait.

Update: That livestream is rolling, folks! Google’s reps just said “this is the beginning and not the end.” Kansas City, Kansas, will be just the first market where this 1Gbps goodness will be installed. Guess there’s hope for the rest of us yet.

The Official Google Blog, Google (YouTube)

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On Friday, 18^th March 2011, Qubee launched a reward program for its users, giving them the opportunity to avail a 20% discount on their monthly bill for 3 months.

“We at Qubee believe in delighting our customers’ everyday with not only a service that is centered on his/her daily internet needs but also with promotions & features that add value to your daily Qubee experience.

Moreover, with “Tag a Friend, Bag a Discount”, we would like to reward our customers for choosing Qubee as their choice for reliable internet,” said the Chief Marketing Officer of Qubee, Mr. Hashim Sheikh.

To avail this discount all a customer has to do is refer a friend to Qubee with his or her given Qubee account number and they will automatically be entitled to the mentioned discount of 20% in their next month’s Qubee bill.

On the occasion, Mr. Hashim Sheikh also mentioned that the promotion is due to conclude on the 18^th of April 2011.

For those with limited needs and budget, PTCL is now offering “National Package”, a broadband DSL with 256 Kbps speed for Rs. 299 per month. With National package, you will be allowed to download 1 GB of data in one month.

Initial impression suggests that 1 GB cap with “National Package” is not going to impress customers, however, they may get fine with 256 Kbps speed.

Additional GBs are not allowed as well, which means you may face a blackout if you consume your data limit before time.

Note: Existing customer can also avail this package but they will have to pay one time charges of Rs.1500 as downgrade charges.

We had heard of upgrade charges so far, but being in Pakistan, expect any type of charges such as these downgrade charges with “National Package”. We fear someday companies might introduce “customer charges”

Below are the all PTCL Broadband packages now available for customer

• 256Kbps          @Rs 299*
• 1Mb                 @Rs 1199
• 2Mb                 @Rs 1499
• 4Mb                 @Rs 1999
• 6Mb                 @Rs 4999
• 8Mb                 @Rs 6999
• 10Mb               @Rs 9999

*Limited download with 1 Gb

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The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed Rs10 million on the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Rs5 million on Wateen Telecom (Pvt) Limited for entering into a prohibited agreement.

The proceedings were initiated against the two as Wateen was granted exclusivity in respect of right of way and to dig soil, the CCP order passed here on Tuesday said that the agreement was in violation of Competition Laws and had no legal effect.

The order had been passed by the CCP bench comprising Chairperson Rahat Kaunain Hassan and Member Vadiyya Khalil who maintained that continuing the breach would entail serious consequences and the parties shall be liable to pay maximum penalty of Rs1 million for every day of the continuing violation.

The CCP initiated proceedings on receipt of several complaints from the residents of DHA, Lahore, in respect of the lack of choice of service providers, other than Wateen, for provision of telecommunication and media services including broadband internet along with cable TV with phone and many services, but the residents complain that they have no choice.

During the course of enquiry the information provided by DHA and Wateen to the Commission revealed that there was an exclusive arrangement between the parties whereby Wateen was the only service provider entitled to provide telecommunication and media services in certain phases of the property under the control of DHA.

Show-cause notices were issued to DHA and Wateen, for prima facie contravention of Section 4 of the Competition Act, 2010, which prohibits undertakings from entering into agreements in respect of provision of services which have the object or effect of preventing, restricting or reducing competition within the relevant market unless exemption has been granted by the Commission.

DHA in the hearings and through written submission admitted that the agreement between DHA and Wateen was a violation of the law and showed its willingness to modify the agreement in accordance with law, while Wateen argued that the arrangement between Wateen and DHA did not have the effect of restricting other service providers to provide services within the DHA region.

Wateen responded that the residents of DHA could avail services from any other service provider using wireless technology and the exclusivity granted to Wateen only pertained to right of way.

Wateen also submitted that the exclusive arrangement for 30 years would qualify for an exemption under Section 5 and 9 of the Act, as Wateen has made huge investments, offers competitive rates, deploys a superior quality network, life of the cable used is thirty years and significant environmental hazards would occur if other parties laid their own cable or used Wateen’s.

The rates submitted by Wateen were the lowest among the service providers, however, the bench observed that merely offering the lowest rates cannot be the sole determinant of competitiveness as factors such as availability of choice, quality of service and after sales service are also be taken into account.

It was concluded by the Commission that due to the inherent nature of the services provided by using wireless technology, no service provider could be excluded from the DHA region.

However, the CCP acknowledged the request by DHA for a revised agreement with Wateen, but the new revised agreement will have to be submitted with the Competition Commission within 30 days from the date of its signing.

Distant learning in Pakistan went to next level when for the first time in Pakistan, a surgery was broadcasted over the internet to help educate surgeons and surgical students from various medical colleges and hospitals across the country.

The workshop on “Advanced Upper GI Laparoscopic Surgery” was broadcast live from Holy Family Hospital through videoconferencing facilities provided by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Doctors, consultants, trainee students from various medical colleges and hospitals attended the workshop. This is the first time in the history of the country an interactive surgery has been relayed over a high speed network across the country.

Surgery procedures were demonstrated live from Holy Family Hospital Telemedicine Centre’s operating theatres in Rawalpindi.

HEC Chairperson Dr Javaid Laghari informed the audience that 75 universities across the country are connected through videoconferencing facilities, which can be used for guest lectures, national and international seminars and conferences. Universities may even offer joint courses through this facility, he said.

The webcast was made possible through the Pakistan Education and Research Network (PERN) 2, which connects different universities across the country. The network has its own nationwide PTCL powered gigabit network that is suitable for relaying interactive surgeries and telemedicine workshops.

PERN is a specialized internet service provider primarily dedicated to supporting the needs of the research and education communities. It is a high-speed backbone network, often offering dedicated channels for individual research projects.

Via Express Tribune